Introduction: The Dream from 2035, Looking Back on 2020

Abstract

This chapter considers the year 2020 as an inflection point when the world changed due to the spread of the novel coronavirus from country to country and sent people into homebound isolation. The chapter talks about the cooperation learned during the pandemic, which is essential in the transition off fossil fuels. It also mentions path-breaking cooperatives that sparked ideas for how to structure social enterprises and lead the way in providing triple-bottom-line returns. The chapter highlights another world that was possible in the depths of despair in 2020, wherein fossil fuels are left behind and a better life in the new democratic economy is defined by shared prosperity. It emphasises prosperity that manifests in a high quality of life, health, happiness, strong relationships, trust in community, shared meaning and purpose, and satisfaction at work.